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Iowans Getting Refunds From Scamming Companies

More than 400,000 Iowans will be getting refund checks in connection with three buying club cases. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says his office has been seeking the refunds from the various companies for more than a decade.

The refunds are the result of last year’s Iowa Supreme Court decision against the defunct Connecticut-based marketing company Vertrue, Incorporated. The company, Miller said, tricked Iowans into paying fees for memberships that most didn’t know they had and didn’t use. Iowans who’ll be getting refunds should be receiving postcards this week containing information about the cases. In most cases, the refund checks will range from $5 to $40.

Following the $32.6 million Iowa collected from the Vertrue judgment, two other marketing companies have resolved similar alleged violations of the state’s consumer protection laws. Affinion Group agreed to pay the state $5.5 million and Stonebridge Benefit Services, which is affiliated with JC Penny, was ordered to pay $2.7 million.